Wayne Rooney Just Called Out the World Cup Halftime Show and the Internet is Here For It

The 2026 World Cup final had everything set up to be legendary. Chris Martin brought together Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, The Muppets, and even football icons Ronaldo and Ronaldinho for what should’ve been an unforgettable halftime experience at MetLife Stadium. On paper, this lineup was absolutely stacked. In execution, it fell completely flat, and Wayne Rooney wasn’t afraid to say it out loud during the BBC broadcast.

When asked what his highlight of the halftime show was, the former England star delivered one of the most honest takes of the night:“Mine was when it finished.”He didn’t stop there. Rooney went on to explain that while he likes many of the individual artists, the overall show was“crap”and“too flat.”He just wanted the football back on. The response from social media was immediate and overwhelming. Tom Holland echoed the sentiment. Liam Gallagher called it a bad trip. Even casual viewers on Twitter started piling on, with particular criticism aimed at Justin Bieber’s choice of“Everything Hallelujah,”which people described as the sleepiest, most depressing song possible for a World Cup audience. The general consensus? The show felt like it was designed by AI, with no cohesion, no flow, just celebrities taking turns on stage.

So what does this tell us about massive entertainment spectacles at sporting events? Maybe that throwing together the biggest names doesn’t automatically create the best moments. Maybe the problem isn’t the talent but how we’re using it. Does the World Cup actually need halftime entertainment, or should the focus stay entirely on the game itself? What’s your take on how halftime shows should work?